“The Republican Wing of the Republican Party”

History of the Arizona Republican Assembly

Ronald Reagan called the Republican Assemblies "the conscience of the Republican Party."

When the California Republican Assembly (CRA) formed in 1932, it was in the forefront of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies. The Arizona Republican Assembly became the second chapter in 1993 and is part of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies.

Leo Mahoney was the first AZRA President. Verne Springer was the second President and ran for a second term, served from 1995 to 1999. John Acer served from 2000 to 2003. Bill Blewster followed for 2 years. Bill's wife, Barbara Blewster then served two terms. In 2013, former Arizona Senator, Thayer Verschoor, became president followed by former LD23 Chairman, Jim O'Connor, in 2017. Lynne Breyer became President in 2018.

Republican Assemblies have several main purposes: to recruit activists into the Republican Party; to influence Arizona legislation; to elect conservative leadership to party offices and to endorse and work for the nomination of conservative candidates in party primaries. AZRA researches, collects and distributes economic, social and moral information to activists. Our primary focus is to recruit, train and activate Precinct Committeemen.

NFRA/AZRA is a bottom up organization, with the strength and power in the local chapters.

The Republican Assembly movement views itself as a reform movement within the Republican Party, and opposes the creation of one or more third parties, which it believes would split the conservative vote and result in the election of more Democrats. AZRA is not chartered by the Republican Party, but works inside the framework of the Party to restore Constitutional principles and promote a conservative platform.

Two letters written to the Arizona Republican Assembly from President Ronald Reagan:

Letter to acknowledge the first meeting of AZRA Letter to acknowledge AZRA's first anniversary